The Jeweller '22 Summer Preview: Throwing the Spotlight on Emeralds

22 Jun 2022

 

They say that the most desirable emeralds come from Colombia, and at the first ever International Colombian Emerald Conference, held in Dubai, we learned why. Belinda Morris, editor of The Jeweller and Scott Williams, NAJ head of membership services, were there.

Hosted by Philip Spencer, managing director of London DE, the conference promised a two-day deep dive into the world of these beautiful gemstones, learning from miners, scientists, traders, exporters, luxury strategists, ethical advisors, marketers… They even threw in a fascinating tour of the Dubai Diamond Exchange by its company secretary Martin Leake… during an auction!

Discover International Colombian Emerald Conference

London DE ethically sources and supplies loose stones and creates bespoke jewellery in its Hatton Garden Workshops. In 2020 it opened a Colombian subsidiary in the heart of the emerald district of Bogota, to ensure top-of-the-supply-chain choice and to ensure the source of materials. In January this year London DE joined the Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre (DMCC) in the UAE as a step towards developing its position within the Middle East luxury market.

So, why are Colombian emeralds the best? How do we know? How do we judge? The answer lies in geography, geology and gemmological know-how, explained Guillermo Galvis, president of the Colombian Emerald Exporters Association. While emeralds are mined in other parts of the world, the geology of a specific region of Colombia (Muzo) provides the ideal physical-chemical conditions to create emeralds of intense green, deep tone, perfect shine and balanced crystal.

Michael Angarita, COO of The Best Emeralds SA, whose family have been dealing in emeralds for 50 years. He described the very high brilliance of Colombian emeralds as ‘the diamond effect’; Zambian, for example, “are greyer and duller by comparison”. Further proof of their standing – in a Christie’s feature on the top 10 emeralds ever sold, only one was not Colombian.

Naturally these desirable gemstones need to protect their reputation and so earn the trust of consumers. Luis Gabriel Angarita, CEO of CDTEC Gemlab revealed how the Colombian emerald certification journey works. Eyesight can determine colour, proportion, cut and lustre, he explained, but there are lots of things that can’t be seen when looking at the stone… such as where it has come from. Throw in the fact that emeralds can be changed and enhanced and the need for precise and accurate testing is obvious.

Belinda’s full report on the Emerald Conference will appear in the Summer issue of The Jeweller, which will land on your desk early July.

View the latest Jeweller issue

View more upcoming events

Source: Belinda Morris, editor of The Jeweller